Vehicle top-bow.



W. M. KALLBON.

VEHICLE TOP BOW.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 0,1912.

1,053,828. I Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

UITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER M. KALLIBON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICANMOTORS COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

VEHICLE TOP-BOW.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \Vanrnn M. Kxncnox, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Top- Bows,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bows for folding vehicle tops,and while applicable to all kinds of vehicles having folding tops, ithas been made with special reference to automobile construction, forwhich purposes it is well adapted.

The object of the invention is to support the cover of the top at moreplaces than has heretofore been done without increasing the number ofbows exposed below the top to interfere with the outlook from the carand to detract from the neatness of its appearance.

By supporting the cover at more places it can be made to approach moreclosely to a true curve in outline, which will greatly improve itsappearance, it also supports the cloth better and affords greaterclearance when the top is dropped and permits of the shifting of the topnearer to the rear of the tonneau.

The further object of the invention is to hinge a pair of bows to eachmiddle bowsocket, and to separate, brace and steady the hinged bows ofeach pair by a fixed bow extension from the sockets supporting thatpair.

The object, also, is to provide a fixed bow extension from eachbow-socket to which the pair of hinged bows may be secured againstvibration when the top is folded and dropped.

Another object is to reduce the size and weight of the hinged bows andbow extension between them so they will occupy a more compact space whenfolded without a corresponding loss in strength.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevationof an automobile showing a portion of the body. the bows completesupporting the raised top and showing the cloth of the top in verticalsection exposing the bows in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail on alarger scale in top plan view of the upper portion of a bowsocket havingmy improved bow hinges and showing the rear hinged bow in longitiulinalSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filedJuly 6, 1912.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Serial No. 708,003.

section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same parts illustrated inFig. 2, showing the hinged bows folded and in longitudinal section, andFig. 4 is a section on the line %l:--%lof Fig.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawing.

5 is an automobile body and 6 the cloth or leather cover of a foldingtop, both of usual construction. I

7 are the middle bow-sockets, and 8 the diagonal end bows supported fromthe middle bow sockets, all of usual construction and operating in theusual manner.

My invention lies in the construction of the bows supported by themiddle bow sockets.

9 is a bow which I will designate as a fixed bow to distinguish it fromtwo other bows carried by the same supports but attached to the latterby means of hinged joints permitting the bows to fold, which is not thecase with the bow 9. The bow 9 is formed of the usual shape out ofchannel iron 10, which is stit't'ened and strengthened by a woodenfiller 11. The bow thus formed is inserted in a socket 12, havingexpanded ends (here shown as bifurcated) which are driven firmly intothe wooden filler 13 of the corresponding lam-sockets 7. Each bow 9 willextend transversely of the body of the vehicle and will be supported byand connect a pair of opposite middle bow-sockets 7.

14!. is a metal plate which is secured by rivets 15 to the upper end ofa bow-socket 7, and 16 are a pair of goosenecks which are hingedlysecured at their lower ends to the plate 14, and extend thence upwardly(when the bow-socket is in its vertical position) and outwardly wherebythe socket at. its end will be out even with and alongside of theadjacent fixed bow S). Bows 18 which I will designate as hinged bows,are supported by the goosenecks 16 and will extend transversely of thevehicle and top in a manner similar to the fixed bows 9. These hingedbows 18 will be formed out of channel bars '10, and will be filled withwood 11. in the same manner as described for the fixed bows S), andbecause of the greater strength arising from this construction I am ableto reduce the cross sectional area of all of the bows 9 and 18 to anextent that. will allow the hinged bows to be folded against the fixedbow 9, and when thus folded the three together will occupy but littlemore space and be little if any heavier than the bows which havegenerally heretofore been used with middle bow-sockets 7 The ends of thebows 18 are seated and secured in the sockets formed for that purpose inthe outer ends of the goosenecks 16.

When the vehlcle top is raised the hinged bows 18 are spread to thediagonal positions on each side of the fixed bows 9, as shown in Fig. 1,and there being four of the hinged bows, the material of the top willconsequently be supported at four more places than was afiorded by asingle bow-extension from the middle bow-sockets 7 under prevailingmethods, and the top will have twice as much bow support as in saidprevious construction. WVhen the top is dropped the folds will beshorter and smaller and as a result will shift loack nearer the rear ofthe tonneau, and when thus folded the fixed bars 9 will act as a supportor anchorage for the hinged bars, which may be tied to the fixed bars,and the oscillation of the folded top on the hinges of the bars 18,which would otherwise be serious when the car was traveling, over roughroads, is entirely obviated.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness asregards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied incertain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly orany more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary Icontemplate all proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement,the omission of immaterial elements and the substitution of equivalentsas circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pair of bowsockets and a fixed bow smallerthan the sockets in width supported by said pair, of a pair of bowslikewise smaller arranged one on each side of the fixed bow and hingedto said sockets.

2. The combination with a pair of bowsockets and a fixed bow smallerthan the sockets in width supported by said pair, of a pair of likewisesmaller bows, one on each side of the fixed bow, and goosenecksterminating said last bows and extending to and hinged to the respectiveinner sides of the upper ends of said sockets.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal atIndianapolis, Indiana, this second day of July, A. D. one thousand ninehundred and twelve.

WALTER M. KALLBON. [Ll 8.

Witnesses:

F. W. VVOERNER, V. A. LONGAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents,

' Washington, D. C.

